Fair “scavengers” claim prizes

Hunt designed for fun but also sends Education Matters message

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and partners, 22 families emerged as winners after visiting the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub’s booth at the Douglas County Fair last month.

The STEAM Hub organized a scavenger hunt from its booth in Douglas Hall that sent kids and their families on a mission. They were deployed with directions to bring back tokens or information proving they had visited booths linked to area education and/or employment.

Scavenger hunters going to all six booths were able to enter a drawing for donated prizes.

First-place winner Max Smoot of Roseburg was awarded an Ozobot. The stay-at-home dad and graphic designer entered the drawing after stopping by the booth with his 16-month-old son, Apolo. The Ozobot is an interactive game that enables the user to engage in robotics through programming and logic. Apolo obviously is growing up in a home where science and technology are embraced.

Landrie Bossemeyer of Sutherlin was named second-place winner. She received a pass for a free drive-through tour for a family of four at Wildlife Safari in Winston. She plans to take two 3-year-old boys – her son, Brecken, and his cousin, Cruz, along with an adult family member. The boys had been drawn to the STEAM Hub fair booth at the prospect of receiving a free book each: “My son and nephew love to read,” she said.

Twenty additional winners will receive family passes to the Douglas County Museum. We appreciate the donations from the Safari and the museum.

We’d also like to extend thanks to the five agencies and/or programs who took part in our scavenger hunt. Traffic to the STEAM Hub booth was increased because of cooperation from Douglas County Public Works, Wildlife Safari, the Oregon Department of Transportation, S.M.A.R.T. (Start Making a Reader Today), United Community Action Network Head Start and Umpqua Community College.

Our quest was designed for fun, but also to highlight the DCPSS message that it’s never too soon to start planning for a bright future and learning opportunities can be found all around us. #DCEdmatters.